Macaroni and means for producing the same



Aug. 7, 1934.

MACARONI AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME G. TANZl 1,969,589

Filed July 10, 1935 Patented Aug. 7 1934 UNITED STATES MACARONI AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME Guido Tanzi, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Y. La Rosa &'Sons, Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 10, 1933,,Serial No. 679,667 7 Claims. (c1. 1ov 14 This invention relates in general to the'fab+ rication of articles by the extrusion of various plastic materials through'dies, and is concerned more particularly with improvements in the form and the means of production of macaroni in a now-preferred embodiment.

An object of the invention is to produce a novel kind of macaroni (or noodle) which may be embodied in various specific forms having certain characteristics in common which are disclosed in the present application and are set forth in the generic claims thereto appended. I

This novel generic characteristic comprises a formation in which each article, say of macaroni, or a noodle, is of hollow structure and-presents a periphery having a plurality of spacedannular' constrictions or furrows which may'desirably lie in planes respectively parallel to eachother, and

normal to a selected axis of the shell, (as the lat-I ter will be hereinafter designated, for the sake of brevity), as for example the major axis of the shell when the latter is longer in one dimension than in another although it is obvious that shapes of shells closely approaching a spherical contour, 'also oblate spheroids, and more irregular shapes, may embody the generic furrcwed charof one form of die-plug adapted to extrude a acteristic above mentioned.

Another object of. the invention is to produce a-' shell-form article of plastic material comprising.

an integral, broad, thin strip of plastic material curved around'an axis of the shell so as'to bring its ends into at least approximateregistry or abutting relation with each other, substantially in a plane passing through the selected. axis of 7 the shell, so that the general effect may be that of a closed shell, although in the case of such a shell-form macaroni or noodle it is preferred to leave an opening sufficient to afiord access of cooking fluid to the interior of the shell, so that the dough may. be thoroughly and uniformly cooked throughout its thickness, and for the same reason the strip of material will preferably be of substantially uniform thickness throughout its breadth, whatever may be the final shape ofthe. completed product.

'A cognate object of the invention is to provide novel means for extruding continuously a strip of plastic material, such as macaroni dough, in-

such a manner that the extruded material will, by

virtue of the very manner of extrusion form it-" self into successive shells of the desired shapaand also to provide appropriate means forsevering each of these shell-forms from the parenttstripimmediately upon its completion, without interfering with the continuity of the process of -ex-' 1 trusion, nor with the perfect formation of the next shell to be extruded.

Still another object of the invention is to provide auxiliary means adapted to receive the extruded shells after they have been parted from the parent strip, and to act automatically upon the shells in such a manner as to aid the above described tendency of the extruded material to assume the desired closed shell-form, the novel means herein disclosed being designed to receive a multiplicity of such articles upon their approximately simultaneous discharge from the extru sion orifices of a series of die-plugs in a die-plate through which the plastic material is pressed ac-' shell-form article according to the invention, such as a macaroni or noodle.

Fig. 3 is a View in vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2'. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the die-plug shown in Figs. 2 and 3. r Fig. 5'is a View in side elevation of the novel shell-form article constituting a now-preferred vention.

Fig. '6 .is a similar view of another, modified species of shell-form product embodying the invention.

Fig. 7 is a bottom-plan view of a die-plug adapted to extrude the specific form of product shown I in Fig. 6. a

Fig. 8 is a top-plan View of the die-plug shown inFigJl. i e

Fig. 9 is a fragmental, detail view in bottomplanof a die-plate, such as that shown in'Fig. 1, with several die-plugs fitted therein of the type illustrated in Figs. 2-4 inclusive, and illustrating also means 'for severing the shell-form articles successively from their-parent strips upon complete extrusion of each such article, oneiof which low shell formed with peripheral furrows or con-' striations in spaced, substantially parallel rela. tion, I have devised, among others, and have illustrated herein, two such species, shown respectively in Fig. 5 and in Fig. 6, each comprising a broad strip S of material curved around.

in such a manner as to bring its ends s into ap' proximately closed, abutting relation, and the hollow shells thus constituted are respectively formed with constrictions or furrows s, at spaced intervals along the major axis of each of the shells, the latter being of greater length than thickness, in the illustrative species shown.

As already indicated in the opening statement of the aims of the present invention, a shell-form article of plastic material, comprising a single strip of material extruded with the furrowed characteristic disclosed, is in itself novel and is so claimed generically, whether made byQthe exact practice of the novel method herein set forth and-claimed, orby the particular-apparatus or means also disclosed and claimed, or by other suitable means-and/or methods, and the specific shell shapes shown in Figs. 5 .and 6 are merely illustrative of the generic invention, which may.

be embodied in many other shapes.

As to the nowepreferred method herein dis-- closed formaking shell-form articlesof thisnovel generic form, I conceive it to be broadly novel to extrude a wide strip of plastic material continuously in such a manner as to cause ittocurlabout I a transverse axis into a hollow, substantially closed shell-form, and to sever successively the individual shells thus formed from the parent strip this procedure being better understood from the following description of one suitable means for accomplishing the desiredresult.

in the now-preferred embodiment of such means selected ,for illustration, and referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 9, and 10 more particularly, the

as seats for die-plugs by which the inventionmaybecarried into eifect, this die-platewith itsequipment of die-plugs 13 being shown in Fig. 10 .as'

mounted in adie-press 14 of conventional ;form,;to which reference will be made hereinafter.

Each die-plug l3 maydesirably'comprise a hollow metal eup-likemember having abase l5 pro -vided with an extrusion orifice 16 the walls of which are of wavy contourand so are adapted to extrude a broad, relatively ,thin strip of plastic material, which, in the case of macaroni dough for example, is preferably of substantially uniform thickness, so that it will be cooked uniformly when immersed ina suitable cooking fluid at the proper temperature, after completion of the product.

In the formshown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, the gen-,

eralcontour of the orifice 16 is arcuate, from end ward the major axis at each end, as'clearly shown in Fig.5, and'in pursuance .of the invention, the

- die-plug is ,of suitable construction to permit more rapid feeding of the plastic material at this medial region than at the ends of the orifice, for which purpose I have shownv the material of the base 15 as relieved centrally to form a concavity or pit 1.7, which in the instance shown is in the shape of a rather fiat cone, asthat contour has been found by experiment a suitable shape to produce the intended result. Such a contour is illustrative rather than essential, however. This concavity 17 reduces the thickness of the base of the die-plug and accordingly reduces the resistance whichthe extrusion orifice o'fiers to the flowing material therefore permitting more rapid feeding .at the regionof the concavity.

I have also provided holes or enlargements 18 of the ext'rusion orifice at regions where it is desirable to permit more rapid extrusion of the component--inaterial,and it is to be observed that these enlargements coincide with the ridges s at each side of the furrows s, toward the respectiv ends f;-the p od ct- In operation, the, plastic material, macaronidough, is placed i i-the press 14,:and the plunger 19 is forced down, causing the dough to be extruded through the, orifices 16in the dieplugs 13, each die-plug discharging a p rtion of strips which, without guiding means, curls upon itself as indicated at 2 0 in Fig- 9, to form a shell product or article ,of the shapesho-wn in, Fig. 5, and when the free end of the extruded strip reaches approximately the relative position indicated at s in Fig. 5, it issevered frcmthe parent;

such as strip bysuitable means, the product havingbeen completed. 1

Any. sui able means maybe p ov to cc plish such severance, and ,as one such suitable construction I;have shown in Fig. 9 a knife 21 mounted .pivotally on the central bottom face of I the die-plate 1:1, and driven by suitable means (not shown) so as .toisweep around and progressivelycutoff the-strips as theshells areextruded from the die-plugs 13 successively.

In pursuance of another aim of the invention,

1 may provide .auxiliarymeans to, accumulate the completed shells and adapted to act simultaneously uponconsiderable numbers thereof to aid in closing the ends 8 of each shell together, for which ipurpose .Izhave. devised, :and illustrated in Fig. 10, an inclined screen ;2 3, mounted onrockarms 24, driven reciprocatingly by ,links25, 25

connected to a crank-pin .27 on a shaft'28, oper- 4 ated by asuitable sourceof power not shown).

As-the shells are parted-from;their parent strips bytheknife'zltheyfallupon the shaping screeni 23 and gradually roll down .the latter, the-reciprocating action tending:to roll each shell-basin..-

Wardand forwardslight so that ,the shells are closed up more or less accurately to. the position j shown in Fig. 15.

This, however, is .not an essential .step .in the operation of producing such shell-forms, and;

ordinarily theaction of theme-plugs, by virtue of :their extrusion more freely of plastic material at the side of 'the orifice which forms the highi parts of the ridges between the furrows, as already described, .issufiicient tocause curling of the strip around an axistransversely to itslength to an extent adequate *to deform the strip into the desired shell-form which it is the .aim of the invention to produce.

As'already indicated, various m'odifications of the shell-form produced in pursuance of the inits vention above disclosed may be made without departing from. :the spirit thereof, and one such modification in shape is shown linuFig. 6; with5156 ii ii suitably modified means for-' its manufacture, as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8.

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view, similar to but shows a. die-plug 29 having a base 30 in which is provided a wavy extrusion orifice.3l, extending diametrically across the base, and adapted to extrude a shell of the elongated cylindrical shape shown in Fig. 6, with peripheral furrows or annular constrictions as shown at s.

The curling of the strip-end as the plastic material is extruded through this die is caused by the provision of enlargements or holes 32, in the upper face of the base 30, one such enlargement of the extrusion orifice being provided at the crest of each wavy portion of the orifice along one side of the latter, these enlargements so diminishing the thickness of the walls of the orifice at their respective regions as to diminish correspondingly the resistance to flow of the material at those regions, so that the material flows there more freely than at the crests 33 on the opposite side of the orifice.

Therefore the emerging free end of the extruded strip tends to curl around an axis transversely to its length, from the crests 32 around and toward the crests 33, and when the shellform edges reach a relative position approximately that shown in Fig. 6, the completed product is cut off by suitable means, such for example as a swinging knife of the type shown in Fig. 9, and already described.

The corrugated shell-forms of product illustrated herein, and others of like fabrication, constitute novel and attractive species of macaroni or noodles, and they can be readily and thoroughly cooked and prepared for consumption, tending to retain within their central cavities the gravies or juices with which they are prepared.

In practice, the adjacent free edges of the shell may, and frequently do, overlap each other more or less, causing the shell to assume a somewhat spiral form in cross-section, as can be well understood without illustration.

I claim:

1. An extrusion means for producing macaroni in shell-form, said means comprising a die-member having an open feeding end and a restricted extrusion end provided with an elongated extrusion orifice in the form of a slot of sensibly uniform width throughout its length, adapted to extrude a broad strip of dough, of substantially uniform thickness throughout its area, said orifice being of wavy contour, to impart to said extruded strip a series of furrows or corrugations extending lengthwise of said strip, said orifice being further characterized by having a posterior concave enlargement thereof adjacent to the middle region of said orifice, said medial enlargement being of sensibly flat conical contour, with its apex at the center of said orifice and subsidiary enlargements located at the crests of certain of the wave-producing regions of said orifice other than the apex of said conical enlargement.

2. An extrusion means for producing macaroni in shell-form, said means comprising a die-member having an open feeding end and a restricted extrusion end provided with an elongated extrusion orifice adapted to extrude a broad strip of dough of substantially uniform thickness throughout its area, said orifice being of wavy contour, to impart to said extruded strip a series of furrows or corrugations extending lengthiI wise of said strip, said orifice being further characterized-by having a-plu'ralit'y of individually localized posterior enlargements-thereof located atthe crests of'certain of the wave-producing. regions, to cause relatively rapid feeding of mater-ia-l' at .the regions ofsaid' enlargements, and thereby to: produce hollow spheroidal "enlarge-- ment'sdn; certain of said corrugations.

3. Apparatus for producing shell-form nuggets of macaroni or similar plastic materials, comprising means to extrude a (multiplicity of) broad strip (s) of plastic material such as macaroni dough with a curling bias around an axis extending transversely of the length of the extruded strip, means to sever successive portions from the parent strip as the free end thereof approaches the body of the strip upon completion of each nugget, and means to receive the severed nuggets and roll them to and fro upon their peripheries to close the ends of said shell together.

4. The method of producing shell-form nuggets of macaroni which comprises the step of extruding a broad strip of macaroni dough in such a manner as to create therein an inherent tension with a curling bias around an axis transversely to the length of said strip and severing said strip successively at stages when the free extruded end approaches the body of the extruded strip and permitting the inherent curling 7 action to continue in each of the severed articles until the severed ends are substantially in juxtaposition with each other, and the further step of rolling the shell-form nuggets to and fro upon their peripheries to complete their closure.

5. In a molding machine adapted for extruding plastic material, a plate having a plurality of passages extending inwardly from one side partly through the plate, said passages arranged in a row, said plate having a slot therein extending back from the opposite side of the plate to the passages, said slot extending back between the passages to substantially greater distance than the. distance from said opposite face to the passages, the greater extension back of the slot between the passages effecting the coalescence of the material before its extrusion from the plate, and said slot being formed in a series of jointed arcs with their convexities in substantially the same direction, certain of the convexities being in communication with certain of the passages, said passages and slot effecting the curving back to the plate of the extruded material.

6. In a molding machine adapted for extruding plastic material, a plate having a plurality of passages extending inwardly from one side partly through the plate, said passages arranged in a row, at least one of said passages being of larger cross-sectional area than others, said plate having a slot therein, opposite said passages, extending back from the opposite side of the plate to the passages, and said slot being formed in a series of jointed arcs with their convexities in substantially the same direction, certain of the convexities being in communication with certain of the passages, the material extruded from the slot curving back toward the plate and forming a shell-like hollow body having a relatively large diameter at the region of extrusion from said passage or passages of larger cross-sectional area.

'7. In a molding machine adapted for extruding plastic material, a plate having a plurality of passages extending inwardly from one side partly through the plate, said passages being of substantially circular cross-section and arranged in a row, the bottom of each passage being substantiallyfcone-s'h'aped withRthe apex pdintihg' -:'t0ward shew oppo'site side of the plate, said .plate having a slot therein extending back -fr0m :thempposite sideof the plate ico the passages, said slot being formed in a series of jointedarcs withiheir convexity in vsubstantially zthe same direction, an

are for each passage, and :the junction 01E ad.- 

